Archive for January, 2012

Monday Mood

Monday, January 30th, 2012

It’s Monday – what mood are you in?

Michael Smith in Malibu

Making a splash

Pronunciation: /mkng a splsh/

To get a lot of attention (we’re taking the plunge at the NY Gift Show – will you be there?)

P.S.  And the winners of our signed book from Mary McDonald are Beth and Kristy of Design Chic!

Photo via House Beautiful

Come Visit My French Country Home…

Friday, January 27th, 2012

At Home in Normandy

No, we haven’t decided to move back to France, though we’re constantly toying with the idea, especially after discovering My French Country Home.

Just Down the Road

Nestled in the verdant Normandy countryside, Sharon’s home is beyond beautiful and besides writing an enchanting and informative blog (we loved her post on French men given that one of us is married to one!)

Ravishing Roses

she sells wonderful home accessories through her brocante

Blue and White Delights

and keeps a guest cottage where she hosts family and friends.

A Country Cottage

Today, Sharon is welcoming us with warm French hospitality and giving away one of our Spring 2012 bouquets (one that has yet to hit the shelves in our retail stores!) so please stop by My French Country Home and say bonjour…  Vous etes les bienvenus!

Join Us for Elderflower Cocktails!

P.S.  And don’t forget to enter our giveaway of Mary McDonald’s book, The Allure of Style, signed by the design diva herself!  Click here for more…

Photos via My French Country Home

 

 

 

The Table Comes First

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Mmmm... C'est Ci Bon!

Last week, we played hooky from work and went to Versailles in Greenwich to hear Adam Gopnik speak about his latest book, The Table Comes First:  Family, France and the Meaning of Food.  Between bites of buttery croissants, Mr. Gopnik regaled us with humorous tales revolving around the family table and musings on a broad range of subjects from his Havanese puppy, Butterscotch, who is quite the “foodie”, to Brillat-Savarin (“we are what we eat”) and Fergus Henderson, a fan of “nose to tail” eating.  All of this food and fun got us thinking about where we set the table…  So whether you’re a fan of dining in the dining room…

Fine Dining

in the library…

Literary Dining

in the kitchen…

Casual Dining

in the conservatory…

Sunny Dining

or in nature…

Dining Au Naturel

we say “Bon Appetit!”

Photos via yours truly, House Beautiful, Elements of Style, Ann Getty and Elle Decor

Giveaway: The Allure of Style

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Best Friends Forever

It’s no surprise that we’re huge fans of Bravo’s show Million Dollar Decorators so imagine our excitement when we got to meet two of the devine designers, Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner, in Atlanta last week.  Needless to say, these best friends are as stylish and funny in person as they were on the show.

Mary's Loves Glamour

After a wonderful slideshow which compared each designer’s version of Beach Chic, Luxe and Bohemian, Mary rolled up her fashionable zebra-print sleeves and signed her book for her fans.

Mary Loves Zig Zags

Mary Loves Painted Floors

What better way to start the new year than with a little design inspiration from this “decorating daredevil!” so we’re giving away a signed copy of Mary’s book The Allure of Style to a lucky reader.

Mary Loves Eye Candy

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment below or send us an email at TheBuzz.Giveaway@gmail.com with “Allure of Style” in the subject line by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 29, 2012 and we’ll choose a lucky winner on Monday, January 30, 2012.  Here’s to a glamorous year!

P.S.  How cool that we’re able to give this book on away on this, our 500th post!

Photos via Veranda, Mary McDonald, The Wall Street Journal and Amazon

Guest Post: New England Home Design Blog

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Old McDonough Had a Farm

Who says a 1920′s home can’t be turned into a modern farm?  Come see the contemporary touches we’re contemplating to bring our little antique into the 21st century on New England Home Magazine‘s blog.  Click here to read the full post and we hope you enjoy your visit!

S. Russell Groves in The Barn

Photos via Domestic Architecture and S. Russell Groves

 

Monday Mood

Monday, January 16th, 2012

It’s Monday – what mood are you in?

Candace Bushnell's Books in The City

Well-read

Pronunciation: /ˈwɛlˈrɛd/

Educated, cultured and erudite (as in “have you read anything good lately?”)

Photo via Elle Decor

Tweet Meet: Sara AlHatem

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Sitting Pretty

While we’re not the most prolific tweeters, we do love Twitter’s global reach and how it introduces us to talent everywhere.  Just last week, Sara AlHatem began following us and when we clicked on her profile, we had to learn more about this amazing follower.

Divine Design

Sara has published the first interior design book in the Middle East and has decorated her fair share of gorgeous homes.

Beautiful Book

Sumptuous Setting

This one-time school teacher has had a passion for interiors since childhood and has been able to translate her love for beauty and unique design to projects throughout the Arab Gulf States.

Fabulous Fixture

After seeing pictures of Sara’s work, we thought who best to start off our new series, “Tweet Meet”, where we’ll write about the interesting people and companies who follow us.  Are you on Twitter and do you have fascinating followers?

Golden Touch

P.S.  Click here to follow us on Twitter (if you don’t already!)

Photos via Sara AlHatem

 

Aesthetic Movement

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Harbinger of Style

We’re off to Atlanta to buy for our next collection (Fall/Winter 2012, if you can believe it!) and one of our first stops for inspiration is the Aesthetic Movement showroom.

Inspiration from the New York Showroom

Coming across this mecca of taste and style was one of the highlights of last July’s trip and we’re making a point of adding some of their lines to our Diane James Home gift site this spring.  From Thomas Paul…

Batik Fan Pillow

and Mar y Sol…

Guadaloupe Flower Tote

to Seletti

Hybrid Dessert Plates

and Lucia…

Sensational Soaps

Aesthetic Movement believes that brushes with beauty can enhance the overall quality of life.  And who are we to argue with a mission like theirs – to “move hearts and minds by advocating the extraordinary – not proliferating the ordinary”?

Photos via Aesthetic Movement, Design Sponge, Thomas Paul, Mar y Sol, Seletti and Pure Living

 

Monday Mood

Monday, January 9th, 2012

It’s Monday – what mood are you in?

I Can See Clearly Now...

Clear

Pronunciation: /klîr/

Bright, transparent, keen and certain (and definitely clear-headed!)

Photos via the Manchester Evening News

 

Posy Palette: Dusty Miller

Friday, January 6th, 2012

"Dusty" Bouquet

There’s something about the simplicity and softness of dusty miller that helps us get through the winter months when all there is to look at is bare branches in the yard.

"Dusty" Leaves

"Dusty" Bedding

Not only is is this silvery-gray plant easy to grow, it’s scaringly draught-resistant (for those of you who, like us, neglect their real plants!)

"Dusty" Room

"Dusty" Dishes

Best of all, their neutral hue goes with absolutely everything… including your wardrobe!

"Dusty" Pumps

P.S.  You’ve probably guessed by now that we’re cutting back a bit on our posts and we hope you’ll keep on reading Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays…  after all, isn’t quality better than quantity?

Photos via Mo+Mo Living, A Place in The GardenCalvin Klein, Veranda, Kitchen Critic, and Net-a-Porter